Tag: 2016

  • John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2016 to Question 32928, what issues of prisoner payments were raised with the Palestinian Authority Finance Minister Bishara in September 2015; which prisoners were discussed with that Minister; and what representations she has received on reported payments made to Kifah and Ibrahim Ghanimat.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    No UK aid is used for payments to Palestinian prisoners, or their families. UK direct financial assistance to the PA is used to pay the salaries of civil servant and pensioners. I discussed with Minister Bishara a broad range of issues regarding prisoner payments including their administration by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. The UK continues to lobby for the payments to be more transparent, affordable and needs-based.

  • Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marion Fellows on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make representations to the International Olympic Committee on upgrading the medals of British athletes who were placed behind athletes found guilty of doping in competitions.

    Tracey Crouch

    Recommendation 17 of the International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020 seeks to honour clean athletes by awarding an Olympic medal following a positive doping case. This involves organising formal medal ceremonies for medal-winners who receive their Olympic medal following the disqualification of a competitor.

    Last month Australian athlete Jared Tallent was presented with an Olympic gold medal for the 50km walk at the London 2012 Games following the disqualification of a Russian athlete for a doping offence. We expect the same treatment for British athletes.

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of supported housing properties likely to be affected by the proposed reduction in housing benefit, and what is their estimate of the range of weekly costs to tenants of such properties.

    Lord Freud

    Supported accommodation plays a vital role in the lives of many vulnerable people. That is why on 15 September 2016 we announced, via a Written Ministerial Statement, that we would be deferring the application of Local Housing Allowance Rates in the social sector for supported housing until 2019/20, at which point we will bring in a new funding model which will ensure that the sector continues to be funded at current levels, taking into account the effect of Government policy on social sector rents.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the effect on victims of her Department not having information about the status and supervision of deported criminals who have been returned to their home countries.

    James Brokenshire

    A victim may contact the Home Office directly or make a request via their Victim Liaison Officer (VLO) for information on the progress of a foreign prisoner’s deportation. The Home Office will inform the victim or their VLO on whether deportation is being pursued or has been enforced.

    Once deported, a foreign criminal is banned from returning to the UK and that information is held on Home Office records. We have robust arrangements in place to identify people of concern before they enter the UK.

    It is not Home Office policy to regularly monitor a foreign national once they have been deported.

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to ensure that dualling of the A1079 between Barnby Moor and Wilberfoss goes ahead; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The A1079 between Barnby Moor and Wilberfoss is a local road and as such is the responsibility of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. I understand that this scheme has been identified as a priority by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, but it will be for the Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership to identify future funding opportunities.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government with which groups officials from (1) Public Health England, and (2) the Department of Health have met regarding local authorities not meeting their mandatory requirements for sexual health services; what steps that department will take to ensure that local authorities are meeting their mandatory requirements for sexual health services; and what steps they will take if a local authority is found not to be meeting mandatory requirements to commission open-access sexual health services.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Department of Health officials meet regularly with Public Health England (PHE) to discuss progress on sexual health, including the ambitions in the Sexual Health Improvement Framework (SHIF). Since the Framework was published PHE has developed Sexual and Reproductive Health Profiles to support local authorities, public health leads and others to monitor the sexual and reproductive health of their local population and the contribution of local public health related systems. Trends are shown at both England and local authority level for a range of indictors that match the ambitions in the SHIF where data is available. A further annual progress report on the Framework would duplicate this work. Whilst there are no current plans to update the SHIF, in December 2015 PHE published their Health promotion for sexual and reproductive health and HIV, strategic action plan, 2016 to 2019, which complements the SHIF. A copy of the plan is attached.

    Departmental and PHE officials have met with the Local Government Association, English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners Group, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health where open access sexual health services were discussed. PHE has undertaken a survey of local commissioning arrangements for sexual health.

    Local democratic accountability is at the heart of the accountability of local authorities for their statutory duty to improve the public’s health. PHE has a specific role in assurance of the ring-fence grant and that local authorities are meeting the grant conditions and the terms of the associated statutory regulations. PHE publishes data on outcomes from services for each local authority in England and can provide support and advice where necessary.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page one of the UK/France joint non-paper on the Implementation of Tiered Free Allocation in Phase IV of the EU Emissions Trading System, what the evidential basis is for the assumption that the UK cement industry can pass on additional costs to customers of purchasing carbon dioxide allowances without risking carbon leakage.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK wants to see continued support for British industry as they decarbonise. In the context of a declining EU Emissions Trading System cap it is essential that free allowances should be focussed on those sectors at greatest risk of carbon leakage. Sectors at greatest risk of carbon leakage have high carbon costs and are highly exposed to international trade.

    The proposed tiering scenarios set out in the UKs position paper are indicative and do not represent a confirmed UK Government position. We recognise the concerns of the cement sector and will continue to work with them to clarify data issues and consider further scenarios to those set out in the UKs proposal.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the guardianship of the property and affairs of missing people.

    Dominic Raab

    I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton on 9 March 2016, which can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29212/.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on reviewing sentencing for crimes which involve violence or cruelty against animals.

    George Eustice

    My officials are in regular dialogue with Ministry of Justice colleagues in relation to sentencing policy with respect to animal cruelty offences including animal fighting.

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the composition of the government of St Helena, and by whom each member of that government is appointed or elected.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The St Helena Government comprises of:

    A Governor appointed by the Foreign Secretary of behalf of the Queen.

    An Executive Council of twelve elected members and three members of St Helena Government who are appointed by the Governor.

    A Legislative Council of five elected members and three senior members of the St Helena Government who are appointed by the Governor.